Page 48 - GBC fall 2015

Several facilities including Cataraqui Golf & Country Club in Kingston, ON, have added grooming and vanity stations for golfers to prep before re-entering the clubhouse.
1) Food and beverage
From a physical perspective, look at the allocation of space in the food and beverage department. Dining areas in the clubhouse are much less formal now as golfers are seeking a casual and social ex- perience.
If you are renovating your food and beverage area, the key compo- nent is to make it a welcoming and social space where people will gather and mingle and to offer the healthy choices that have become far more requested in today’s society.
When doing your research for renovations or an overhaul to your food and beverage operation, con- sider the models from the true competition, which are your imme- diate restaurants, adjacent or ad- junct to your community. For in- stance, consider the design of a res- taurant such as Milestones and the way they lay out their restaurants. They strategically include contem- porary fire pits on the patio with pleasant lighting to create a wel- come and trendy atmosphere.
2) Fitness facility
The key is to look at your club as a four seasons facility, depending on the scope and caliber of your club. If you are seeking to do some minor tweaking, and hoping to attract more of a family based membership, consider exploring the kinds of fitness courses that do not require a lot of equipment, such as yoga and
dance. Incorporating these types of classes into the facility is not a major investment. It may be a reallocation of space but can be easily incorporated at a minimal investment.
The next level would be to incorporate more fitness equipment and consider creating a room or space designated specifically to fitness and health. One step further would be adding a curling or tennis facility.
Your decision to expand and include fitness areas depends on the capabilities and vision of your club. A good way to determine what your golfers want is to survey your existing membership and determine what activities might get their friends and family on board and what type of activities they find enticing.
Those results will give you a better handle on what is actually appealing to your golfers and membership. Look at your mem- bership as the greatest resource for what areas will bring you the greatest return on investment. Remember, this is all about acquisi- tion and retention of members and customers.
3) ‘Kiddie Korner’
Adding a kiddie korner or child focus to your clubhouse can be a great feeder system for future players and can also attract families who may not have previously considered your course.
Consider renovating your clubhouse to include a kiddie korner or an activity room for children. Often after the age of eight or ten, the children can join one of the junior golf programs, so consider structuring some classes or activities for younger children. Parents could then drop off the children at these activities and enjoy their round of golf.
Consider hiring part-time teachers in the summer to help supervise and lead group activities for the children. Activities can range from age appropriate crafts to fitness programs.
It is critical to talk to your members and golfers to determine if a kiddie korner would be appro- priate, and if so, what format it should take on. It is also important that the children buy into these programs. If the children want to be a part of your program, it is a big selling feature for the parents.
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